The Meadowlands Liberty Convention and Visitors Bureau recently launched a new web site www.mlcvb.com that offers tourists the ability to book hotel rooms and create travel packages among other functions. The site in December featured the NCAA basketball game between Duke and Temple and Disney on Ice at the IZOD Center paired with four local hotels. Visitors to the site will also have the opportunity to build packages for upcoming events such as WrestleMania and the 2014 Super Bowl.

“The Meadowlands region has been considered an alternative to New York City,” said Judy Ross, Director at the Meadowlands Regional Chamber. The chamber promotes hotels, restaurants, shops, entertainment and other businesses in the area. Ross heads the destination marketing division.

“With these events coming up, it emphasizes the region as it owns destination,” noted Ross.

Site visitors will find year-round attractions such as Medieval Times in Lyndhurst and the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City in addition to event-timed offerings.

The “Package Builder” allows all events, restaurants and hotels in the area to offer set packages or a la carte itineraries for travelers.

_____________The “Package Builder” allows events, restaurants and hotels in the area to offer set packages or a la carte itineraries for travelers.____________

While members are provided with tools to offer packages, visitors and tourists can use the package builder to plan an itinerary, purchase a package, and receive confirmation. Individuals can book hotels, plan group travel, or customize certain travel experiences.

Ross noted that a large number of chamber members are in the hospitality and tourism sector and the web site is seen as an “opportunity for us to promote our region.”

“We needed an area where we can be of service,” said Ross. She said it was the chambers job to help put “heads in beds,” in hotels and “cheeks in seats,” in restaurants.

‘Eugene’ is your concierge

The MLCVB has had a web site since the organization was established in 2004. “Our web site continues to evolve,” noted Ross.

The landing page of www.mlcvb.com has a dynamic, interactive image that continuously moves and shows different scenes from the Meadowlands. A white egret flies over the American Dream Amusement Park Ferris wheel to the Izod Center. If you click on American Dream, an incomplete retail and entertainment venue formerly known as Xanadu, a box pops open that says the project opens the fall of 2013 and provides detail on what the venue will feature as well as links to learn more or “get there by NJ Transit.” Clicking on an image of two women kayaking on the Hackensack River gives a visitor information about the wetlands and mentions tours and boat rides. Other interactive scenes feature the MetLife Stadium, Hackensack Riverkeeper, Liberty Science Center, the Meadowlands Environment Center and the Meadowlands Racetrack.

A user prompt that allows visitors to ask a question of “Eugene,” a concierge-like character, during business hours was undergoing beta testing, according to a Tech representative from Axiom Communications who works on the web site.

A number of other features and tools were also revised such as the group travel planner and new tools were added on the back-end for chamber members.

While the Reporter experienced a few bugs in booking a room and planning a group meeting, those issues appear to have been resolved by press time.

Getting ready for spring, eco tours

As far as what’s on the horizon, Ross said, “we are preparing for seasonal items.”

She noted that they are getting ready for the spring and that visitors will see eco-tourism packages as well as hotel stays offered alongside tickets to the Field Station: Dinosaur Park in Secaucus, for example. Individuals will also be able to book a Hackensack Riverkeeper eco-tourism cruise or a nature walk hosted by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.